Apparatus and method capable of switching displayed pictures

Abstract

An apparatus capable of switching displayed pictures in response to a slide gesture by a user includes a display screen for displaying an enlarged current picture, a touch determining unit, a picture processing unit, a control unit, a time calculating unit, and a calculating unit. The picture processing unit determines a width value of the current picture and a distance between a side of the current picture and an edge of the display screen adjacent to the side. The control unit controls the picture processing unit to obtain the target picture and controls the display screen to only display the target picture if a time duration of a slide gesture from beginning to ending is equal to or greater than a predetermined time period and a ratio of the distance to the width is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio. A related method is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus capable of switching displayed pictures in response to a slide gesture by a user, comprising:
 a storage unit configured for storing a plurality of pictures;   a display screen configured for displaying a current picture in response to a user's touch, wherein the current picture is enlarged and has a size larger than the size of the display screen;   a touch detecting unit configured for detecting a slide gesture by the user on the display screen, and further determining a sliding direction of the detected slide gesture;   a touch determining unit configured for selecting a target picture from the pictures according to the determined sliding direction; and further determining a first distance between a touch beginning position and a touch ending position of a trace of the detected slide gesture;   a picture processing unit configured for controlling moving the current picture on the display screen along the sliding direction toward a first edge of the display screen in response to the slide gesture such that a portion thereof adjacent to the first edge is moved out of the display screen, and controlling moving a portion of the target picture into the display screen from an opposite second edge thereof along the sliding direction in response to the slide gesture; the picture processing unit further configured for obtaining a width value of the current picture, determining a second distance between the first edge of the display screen and a side of the current picture parallel with and adjacent to the first edge prior to the slide gesture by the user, and further determining a third distance between the first edge of the display screen and the side of the current picture after completion of the slide gesture;   a calculating unit configured for calculating a ratio of the third distance to the width value;   a time calculating unit configured for calculating a time duration of the slide gesture from the touch beginning position to the touch ending position; and   a control unit configured for generating a picture changing signal if the ratio calculated is equal to or greater than the predetermined ratio and the time duration is equal to or greater than a predetermined time period, and for controlling the picture processing unit to obtain the target picture and controlling the display screen to only display the obtained target picture.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus capable of switching displayed pictures in response to a slide gesture by a user as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured for controlling the display screen to only display the enlarged current picture if the ratio calculated is smaller than the predetermined ratio. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus capable of switching displayed pictures in response to a slide gesture by a user as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured for generating a picture reducing signal if the ratio calculated is equal to or greater than the predetermined ratio and the time duration is smaller than the predetermined time period for controlling the picture processing unit to reduce the current picture and controlling the display screen to only display the reduced current picture, the current picture is reduced and has a size smaller than the size of the display screen. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus capable of switching displayed pictures in response to a slide gesture by a user as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined ratio is ½. 
     
     
         5 . A method capable of switching displayed pictures in response to a slide gesture by a user comprising:
 displaying a current picture on a touch display screen, the current picture being enlarged so as to have a size larger than the size of the touch display screen;   determining a slide gesture by a user on the touch display screen, determining a sliding direction of the detected slide gesture, and further selecting a target picture according to the determined sliding direction;   controlling the current picture to move along the sliding direction toward a first edge of the touch display screen, and displaying a portion of the target picture on the touch display screen in response to the slide gesture;   determining a first distance between a touch beginning position and a touch ending position of a trace of the detected slide gesture, and a second distance between the first edge of the touch display screen and a side of the current picture parallel with and adjacent to the first edge prior to the slide gesture by the user;   determining a third distance between the side of the current picture and the first edge of the touch display screen after completion of the slide gesture;   obtaining a width value of the current picture and calculating a ratio of the third distance to the width value;   determining whether the ratio calculated is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio;   calculating a time duration of the slide gesture from the touch beginning position to the touch ending position if the ratio calculated is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio, and determining whether the time duration is equal to or greater than a predetermined time period; and   generating a picture changing signal if the time duration is equal to or greater than a predetermined time period for obtaining the target picture and displaying only the target picture on the touch display screen.   
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein if the ratio calculated is smaller than the predetermined ratio value, the method further comprises:
 remaining displaying only the enlarged current picture on the touch display screen.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined ratio is ½. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein if the time duration is smaller than the predetermined time period, the method further comprises:
 generating a picture reducing signal for reducing the current picture and displaying only the reduced current picture on the touch display screen, wherein the current picture is reduced and has a size smaller than the size of the touch display screen.